THE POOK MURDERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2014, 15 December 1888, Page 2

THE POOK MURDERS

(per press association.) Gisborne, December 14. Safßoieut cvi Jeoou has been obtained to make an exceedingly strong ojbo ag»tnat Haiti Te Perl That a?ain«t Hohepa, h»8 brother, is we ik Four natives who were detatued bave been released. The Court resumes on Monday. Tne polloe are confident they have the right men The marks on tbe blood etaioed knife are translated to mean Hiiri's initials. There is evldenoe showing that the knife was ■eeo In Halri'o possession. A bloodstained coat and vest wet© found aite* an active search, which Hairi wag wearing when he left Akaaka, and his statement that ho left In the afternoon is disproved by some children who saw* him after aundown. A conversation is said ti have been overheard m the cell between the two brothers leading to » belief In Hairi'a guilt, and HohepA, though the evldenoe is weak, is ballßved to know more about the murder than he chooses to say.

I The polloe state that the evidence likely to be presented will be of such a estate bb to etiture retribution for the orlme. It waa Halrl, not Hohepa, an beforo published, that loft Waipiro on the evening of the m order, having been thoroughly cleaned oat of o»3b whilst playing cards. Halrl explained that the money he had In his possession was given h'm by his brother, but this Hohepa deolee. The possession of the blood- , stained knife and sheath found by Sir George. Whltmore it Tapsroa is very con* demnttory. Th 9 marks on the knife represent figures m Roman oapitals, whloh being translated into the Maori language give a number corresponding with Halrl name. The figures are V J and X, whioh mean H P (Hair! Peri) ; there Is also evidenae of a mate of Haiti's, Who knows the knife and sheath (*n unoommon one) well, and has often Been it m Halrai's possession. The salt of olothes worn hy Halra was taken. It had been stolen from a tent at Mr Piokard's. The prisoner states he bought it from Mr Pook's Btore, bat Mrs Neilßon reoogniiea It as being of her work, and belonging to Plokard. Thii suit bore evidence of having been worn only a few hours, and an active search brought to light a coat and Tent blood ntalned whioh Halrl had been wearing when ho loft Aknaku, The trousers were not to be found. It Is believed that Hohepa knowa something abont_ the butchery, tfaoagh he will st.y 'nothing to implicate his brother. It Is not thought be took part m the actual orime. The evidence of the boot ( is very strong. Besides the piece worn oat la the middle of the sole there is a small piece of the heel off, and this aocouuts for there being only a half impression In the blood prints of that part of the boot. The two accused men are said to have had a talk together m the cell, when Hairl wanted Hohopa to say he had given him £2 6s known to have been In his possession after the murder. Hohepa replied that be ooald not do It, as he had already told them he had not done so, The confer-' 1 enoe ended by Hobepa saying, " You oannot get dear ; you go your way, and I will go mine," or words to that effect. When playing cards and spending money before the murder, Hohepa'a wife remonstrated with him, and gald that was why he could not keep hie family. He replied " Never mlud, I will have money and clothes soon. This is said to be the only dlreot evidence against Hohepa.